Flightclan's Story
by Longjump
Summary: It has been many moons since Flightclan, Stormclan, and Streamclan were founded. This story will follow the adventurous lives of several kits.. Rated T for violence
1. Chapter 1

**"I'm gonna get you!"**  
It was a bright, new-leaf morning when this call rang through the camp clearing. Spiderkit yelps as his brother tackles him from behind, knocking the slender tom-kit to the ground. Redkit plants his paws firmly on Spiderkit's shoulders, grinning, tail twitching from side to side. "Flightclan has won!" Redkit announces. Across the clearing, a smaller, striped shape races forward, bowling into Redkit. The two shapes roll away from Spiderkit as he jumps onto his paws. Tigerkit and Redkit were locked in a knot of fluffy fur, until the two broke apart with Redkit gasping for breath.  
"Stormclan will win!" Tigerkit snarls towards his larger brother. Spiderkit slowly stalks towards the two, before parting his jaws in a war-cry. "No, Streamclan will win!". With that yowl, the tiny brown cat tackles Tigerkit, and the two roll across the clearing.

Birdwing watches her kits from the nursery, tail settled neatly across her lightly colored paws. Beside her is a golden furred queen, her belly swollen with future kits. Sunface purrs as the three battle, tail twitching. "Do you think mine will get along that well?" She meows, ears turned towards Birdwing. The Tawny mother pauses before responding. "I'm sure they will, they'll have a wonderful mother and father to watch them and guide them." Sunface nods, although the young queen would continue to fidget, nervous. Her kits were close, Tinycloud had said she would have them by the next gathering, in three days.

Spiderkit rolls to a stop, his paws pinning Tigerkit to the ground. "I gotcha!" He meows, tail lifting and ears perking forward. Redkit had accepted defeat by now, and was slinking back towards the nursery. Spiderkit turns to watch his brother, and the striped tom took advantage of it. Tigerkit would throw his weight upwards, knocking the clumsy, brown kit away. "Hey!" Spiderkit yelps, turning to face Tigerkit. "That wasn't fair!"  
"It was to fair!" Tigerkit meows back, tail lifting and chin turning upwards at his victory. "I can't help that you got distracted."  
"Mom!" Spiderkit would wail, turning towards the tawny queen. "Tigerkit cheated!"  
"Did not!"  
"Did too!"  
"Did not!"  
"Enough!" Birdwing would meow, quickly crossing the clearing to stand between the two quarreling kits. Redkit remained sitting near Sunface, a smug grin on his face as he didn't get in trouble."You both know better then to argue like that." Birdwing snaps, green eyes narrowed and tone scolding. Spiderkit and Tigerkit both bow their heads, embarrsement pricking at their paws."Now, both of you, back to the nursery. Nap time." Birdwing growls, lifting a paw to gentle swat Tigerkit's bum, tossing him towards their den.

"But I'm not ti-" Tigerkit broke of his whining as he was shoved forward, and with a quiet grumble the tabby striped cat would trudge towards the moss-padded cave. Spiderkit would quickly scramble after his brother, not wanting the same swat. Birdwing followed close behind her sons, lifting a paw to push the over-hanging branches to the side. Sunface would lift a paw to gentle scoop Redkit into the cave, before Birdwing allows the branches to drop back down. They were very convenient. A large bush grew on the over-hanging ledge, but the trunk had been broken and grew crooked, so now it hung across the nursery entrance, shielding them from the rest of the camp.

Birdwing would curl around the three kits, rasping her tongue across Redkit's russet fur, then Spiderkit's brown fur, and finally Tigerkit's striped fur. Then the queen would part her jaws in a yawn before lowering her head. The three kits simply sat there. They weren't little anymore, didn't need to sleep as much as Birdwing wished the would. Finally Redkit would wiggle away, only to be blocked by Sunface. The golden queen would giggle softly at the little tom's escape, before whispering "Go find Patchfur, she'll tell you a story.". With that, the golden queen would part the branches, flicking her tail towards Spiderkit and Tigerkit. At first, Redkit looked stunned, before nodding his head with a wide grin. The large kit bolts from the den, with Tigerkit and Spiderkit quickly wiggling away from their mother so they can follow. As they raced into the clearing, Redkit would lead the way across camp to the elder's den.

The camp was along a sandy cliff-face, and the nursery was hidden in one of the crevices. The apprentice and warrior den were under two massive shrubs, which grew near the camp entrance. The front and sides of the camp were formed from shrubs and re-inforced by brambles and thorn branches. The apprentice and warrior dens had been padded by moss, and were positioned so the guard could lay inside their den, while still watching the tunnel leading from camp, formed by thorn branches. The elders den was connected to the warriors den, and so it was across the camp clearing from the nursery. The medicine cat den is in the trunk of an old, hollowed out tree stump, and the top of the stump was used for ceremonies. The leader herself slept under a cliff over-hang, which formed a sort of cave against the old tree stump. Spiderkit always loved that stump, but for now he had to concentrate on keeping up with Redkit and Tigerkit.

They dodged several warriors, before a cat would place her paw in Redkit's way, stopping their race. "What are you doing away from your mother?" Mothstep would growl, tail twitching with irritation. "You aren't supposed to be out here without someone watching you!" The tabby spits. Mothstep was a sleek, serious, dark-brown she-cat, with little tolerance for Spiderkit and his brothers.

"We're gonna see Patchfur." Redkit meows, nodding his head at the sleek warrior.  
"Sunface said we could!" Tigerkit would add, gazing up at the she-cat with his bright blue eyes.  
"She is gonna tell us a story!" Spiderkit meows, ears twitching to lay against his skull.  
Mothstep hesitated for a moment, looking towards the nursery before looking to the three kits. "Don't be away too long." She meows, before turning to stalk back towards the fresh kill pile settled at the tree-stump base.

Tigerkit snorts under his breath, rolling his eyes before meowing. "C'mon! Let's go!". The tabby cat quickly begins to sprint towards the elders den, followed closely by Spiderkit and Redkit.

As they enter the den, it takes a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, before the three kits notice the lump in the back of the den. The old she-cat stirrs, lifting her head to glare towards them with orange eyes. Her calico fur is a ruffled mess- but it's not matted, nor does she smell of Mousebile like the warriors said some elders did. Patchfur's whiskers twitch as the elderly cat turns towards them, muzzle curved in a delighted smile. "Redkit, Spiderkit, Tigerkit. How old are you three now? Two moons?" she asks with a raspy purr.  
Redkit would shake his head, and Spiderkit squeaks "Three!".

Tigerkit quickly meows "But I'm older, 'cause I was born first."  
"Oh shut-up, mousebrain. We're still the same age." Redkit would meow jokeingly, before looking towards the old cat. "We want a story."  
"A story, hmm? Would you like to hear the one about Flightstar and the eagle?" Patchfur asks, tucking her white paws under her chest.  
"Yes!" The three squeak, bouncing forward to lay near the old she-cat.

"Many moons ago, when the forest was still young, and the clans not yet grown as they are now, a great eagle ruled the land Flightclan had tried to claim. This eagle's head was white as a fresh snow, and feathers darker then the oldest mouse. He was huge, and preyed on the clan's kits. Three times he swoped down from the sky, weaving through the trees to snatch up a tiny cat, and three times Flightclan was unable to protect their own kits. Flightstar decided that this was enough, they had to put a stop to the great bird. They placed a large thrush in a clearing, where the great eagle would see it, and Flightstar climbed to the top of a tall tree. Hidden in the branches, she waited.  
Then the eagle saw the mouse, and he swooped down, snatching it with his large, sharp talons. Eagle was flying upwards with it grasped in his claws, when Flightstar jumped from the tree! She landed right on his back, and they fell to the ground. Flightstar landed on top of the bird, and the fall killed it.

From that day on, Eagles came and went, but none stayed, as Flightclan, Streamclan, and Stormclan knew how to chase them out. Since then no cat has been killed by an eagle until just a few  
moons ago, when Lionwhisker was-"

A horrible scream sounded through the clearing, causing all four cats to jump. Patchfur snarled, moving forward to cover the three brothers. The scream slowly quieted, until starting up once more, louder then before. Through the noise, the three brothers could hear the yowling voice of their mother.

**"Tinycloud! Tinycloud! Sunface is kitting!"**


	2. Chapter 2

Patchfur straightens up, giving her chest a quick lick. Spiderkit and Tigerkit poke their heads from the elders den, squinting against the bright sun.  
Along side them, the warriors Mothstep, Minknose, Cindertail, and Webfoot appear from their den, and as a look of realization crosses Webfoot's face, the brown tom would quickly bolt forward. He races across the sunny clearing, only to colide with Birdwing as she stepped out from the cave.  
Tigerkit giggles as the two meow apologies to eachother, Webfoot obviously flustered as he hops into the nursery. Birdwing's tail lashes as the queen once again turns to the elders den.

Shortly after, a light grey, fluffy cat slips from the old tree-stump, a bundle of green clutched in her jaws. The small cat paused to look over her shoulder, before once again padding towards the nursery cave.

"Do you think we'll get to see Sunface have her kits?" Spiderkit asks, blue eyes watching his mother as she approaches the elder's den.  
"Hope not." Redkit meows. Spiderkit turns in time to see his brother's russet nose wrinkled back in an expression of disgust. "It sounds like it would be yucky." Redkit explains.  
Before Tigerkit or Spiderkit could respond, Birdwing would poke her head through the branches, casting a smile towards Patchfur. "Would you mind watching them, Patch?" She meows."The nursery is too crowded right now for them."

Patchfur nods her head, reaching out a paw to drag Redkit closer to her. Redkit in response would mewl a quiet protest, wiggling from her grasp.  
"Of course I'll watch them." The elder purrs.  
"But I wanna see!" Tigerkit whines, padding forward to rub against Birdwing's leg.

Spiderkit nods in agreement, widening his eyes and glaring up at her. "Please?"  
"No." Birdwing meows, gently pushing Tigerkit away. Then the tawny queen disappears from the den, trotting across the clearing towards the cave.  
Tigerkit grumbles, turning to flop down next to Patchfur.

The elder meows quietly, tail sweeping forward to curl around the tabby cat. "You should all rest."  
Spiderkit huffs, he wasn't tired! But Redkit was yawning, and it was catching, Patchfur yawned, Tigerkit too, and- Before Spiderkit could stop it, his jaws widened and he yawned. Tail drooping the small cat creeps forward to lay near Tigerkit, and before long he could feel Redkit flop down next to him. He quickly fell asleep.

-

Birdwing slips under the branches, eyes blinking as they adjust to the dim light. Webfoot is settled near his mate's head, rasping his tongue between her ears. Tinycloud has a group of leaves spread out across the moss, and she occaisionally shifts one this way and that.

As Sunface whimpers once more, a ripple running across her flank, Tinycloud's small, grey head snaps up.  
"Oh!" The medicine cat squeaks, scooping up a leaf and placing it near Sunface's muzzle. "Eat that." Tinycloud orders.

"She's already eaten borage today." Webfoot meows, glaring towards the leaf, "She shouldn't have to eat another one."  
Tinycloud pauses, glaring towards the warrior. "It's thyme, to calm her." The grey cat growls. "We don't want her having a panic."  
Webfoot seemed surprised, but simply nodded and scooped the leaf closer to the golden queen. Sunface obediently chews and swallows it, nose wrinkling at what Birdwing assumes is a bitter taste.

The branches behind her rustle, and Birdwing turns to watch two small cats push through the over-hang. No, not two cats, one cat. One very strange cat.  
"Twopaw!" Tinycloud greets, nodding to her apprentice. Twopaw simply grumbles a greeting, slinking past Birdwing to sit near her mentor.  
Twopaw was a very strange name, but it fit the apprentice perfectly. She looked like two different cats, depending on what angle you saw her from. From the right, she looked like a tortie cat with a black head, but from the left she looked like a tortie cat with a ginger head. Twopaw's face had a line formed perfectly down the middle, starting at the back  
of her head and stretching all the way down her throat. Even her nose was split in two, one side black and one side pink.

The apprentice's eyes on the black side of her face were green, on the ginger side they were blue.

Sunface wails as her side ripples once more, and suddenly a loud mew fills the nursery. Twopaw reaches past her mentor, grabbing a small kit and placing it at Birdwing's paws.  
The small bundle was a light gold kit which continued to mew and wiggle as it was placed on the moss. Dipping her head, Birdwing would quickly lick the kit. She started at it's tail and rasped her tongue upwards towards it's head, rubbing the tiny cat's fur the wrong way to stimulate and dry it.

As the kit began to crawl across the moss, Birdwing gentle nudges it towards Sunface's belly, and the tiny gold kit begins to suckle almost instantly.

Shortly after another mewl signals another kit.  
Tinycloud grabs this one, bowing her head to lick and inspect the small kit. It's fur was brown like it's father's, and it was larger then the last. Wiggling and mewling, it only took a few moments before the grey she-cat pushed it towards the gold queen.

The next few moments consisted of Twopaw and Tinycloud removing the two kits from Sunface to inspect them, checking for injuries and making sure they were breathing properly while Webfoot and his mate fawned over the tiny kits.  
"The gold one is a female, the brown one a male." Tinycloud announces with a smile. "Congratulations, both of you."  
"Yeah." Twopaw meows, eyes focused on the herbs as she piled several unused leaves together. "Tinycloud, we didn't use all the thyme or borage. Should she eat them now?"  
"No, it's fine." The grey cat replies.

Birdwing had leaned forward to watch the small kits, before meowing quietly. "What are their names?"

Sunface paused, glancing upwards towards Webfoot, before answering. "The gold one is Goldenkit, the brown one Shrewkit."  
"Beautiful names." Birdwing meows, smiling towards her friend before nodding towards Webfoot. The tawny cat was stepping towards the exit when Sunface wailed once more.  
Both Tinycloud and Twopaw jumped, neither one expecting a third kit, but sure enough, Sunface's side was rippling again.

No kit was appearing, though, and Tinycloud began to search through the herbs, tail lashing as she mumbles under her breath. Twopaw sits near the gold queen, who was struggling for breath.  
Tinycloud grabs one bright-green clump of leaves from the pile, pushing them towards the struggling she-cat. "Eat." The grey cat orders.  
"What are they?" Webfoot asks, nudging the clump towards the struggling queen, who began to slowly chew and swallow them.  
"Raspberry leaves." Twopaw explains, tail comfortingly stroking Sunface's side. "They should help her, and give her strength. Right Tiny?"  
"Yes. She's tired." Tinycloud meows.  
Minutes passed, it seemed like it had been an eternity when Twopaw finally exclaimed "It's here!" And grabbed a small kit which had slid onto the moss. Birdwing watched intently, listening for a meow which never came. Twopaw licked the brown kit for several seconds before lifting her head, eyes panicked. "**Tinycloud. It's not breathing**."  
Tinycloud quickly turns, scooping the kit away form her apprentice. Twopaw began to pace, and Sunface looked towards the grey medicine cat.  
"What happened?" She asks, trying to pull away from a worried Webfoot. "What's wrong, Twopaw? Twopaw, what-"

She was interrupted by a loud, sudden squeak as the kit jerked it's paws. Tinycloud lifts her head, chest puffing out with pride as the kit began to wiggle. It mewed loudly, although the noises it made were short, not drawn out like it's siblings.  
"She had liquid in her nose." Tinycloud explains, grabbing the kit and nudging towards it's mother. The tiny kit was brown like her brother, save for a white chest and paws. As it came to lay near Sunface, the tiny she-kit didn't begin to suckle as the others. It simply laid there, squeaking and jerking it's paws. All five cats watch the kit for a moment, before Twopaw gently pushes it closer. It took a few seconds, but the tiny kit eventually begins to suckle.

"Mousekit." Webfoot meows after a few silent minutes. "She squeaks like a mouse, and is brown like one." Sunface nods, before lowering her head and sighing, exhausted.  
"She needs to sleep." Tinycloud meows, flicking her tail towards Twopaw in a signal to come. The apprentice simply nods in response, bowing her head to grab the herbs, before padding after her mentor. Tinycloud nods to Webfoot and Birdwing, before pushing through the branches, and Twopaw follows close behind.

As the two cats leave the den, Birdwing nods her head to Webfoot. "I should check on my own kits." Birdwing meows softly, creeping to her lightly colored paws and sneaking from the nursery.

**AN**

**Redkit and Tigerkit are named for their colorings, they aren't reborn cats from the book. (Although that would be interesting.)**

**Also, I don't like changing POV often, but I thought this might be more interesting then a chapter about sleeping in the elder's den.**


End file.
